What boxing royalty ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed and football icon Michael Owen can expect to bond over now their children are dating – from shock scandals to parenting dilemmas

It was revealed this week that ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed’s son and Michael Owen‘s daughter are dating, with Aadam Hamed and Gemma Owen sharing a slew of snaps from a romantic holiday in Dubai. 

With both Aadam and Gemma enjoying a strong bond with their parents it can be expected that the sporting legends will soon be brought face to face at a joint family function. 

The duo have both retired from professional sports but will no doubt have plenty to talk about when they meet.

As well as a keen interest in each other’s sporting fields they can expect to bond over their illustrious careers and the shocking scandals they’ve faced. 

So what can the expected dinner party topics be? MailOnline predicts what the legendary athletes will discuss. 

Get ready to grumble! What boxing royalty ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed (left) and football icon Michael Owen can expect to gossip about at family dinners now their children at dating 

Going head to head: Here’s how Michael and Naseem stack up

Talking point one: The rise and fall of their careers 

Michael is widely considered to be one of the greatest strikers of his generation and enjoyed success at Liverpool, Real Madrid, Newcastle United, Manchester United and Stoke City.

The son of former footballer Terry Owen is also the last player from England to win the Ballon d’Or – the award given to the world’s best footballer – which he pulled off in 2001. 

He became the youngest player to feature at a World Cup at France 1998 when he was sent on as a substitute by Glenn Hoddle in their opening game against Tunisia and was the youngest to score in the tournament after finding the net against Romania in the following match.

Michael ended his career at Stoke City in 2012. His playing days ended on a low note as he featured just nine times for the Staffordshire-based side, scoring a single goal. 

Meanwhile, Prince Naseem rose from Yemeni roots, via Sheffield’s fabled Ingle gym, to become one of boxing’s greatest showmen.

A 5ft 4.5in Jack-in-the-box who demoralised and dumbfounded opponents with feints, ferocious power and yo-yo reflexes. 

In the Nineties, Naseem rose up through the ranks and won the WBO, IBF and WBC featherweight titles during an exciting 10-year stint as a professional.

Following the only defeat of his professional career against former three-weight world champion Marco Antonio Barrera, Naseem would box once more (against the lesser-known Manuel Calvo) before hanging up his gloves at the tender age of 28.

Careers: Michael is widely considered to be one of the greatest strikers of his generation  while Prince Naseem is a five-time world champion (both pictured in 2001)

Topic two: The pressures (and pitfalls) of parenting 

Both Michael and Naseem have children who have found fame off their own backs. 

Michael’s daughter Gemma hit the spotlight last year when she appeared on Love Island and reached the final with Luca Bish. 

Yet while Gemma won over the public during her time on the show, Michael confessed that he had a tense chat with his daughter about her involvement.

The ex footballer admitted he couldn’t watch his eldest daughter ‘kiss people’ on the ITV2 dating show and confessed: ‘It wasn’t the best of conversations when she first asked me about going on Love Island.

‘She’s pretty sensible and she’s a good kid and I had no worries. I just didn’t bring myself to watch some of the challenges and things like that.

‘I don’t like seeing my daughter kiss people, but I probably watched 30 to 40 percent of the show.

‘On the days that I didn’t watch, I was on the phone to the wife (Louise) at five past ten asking, “How did she do?”‘

The retired England player added: ‘I know it’s been great feedback and she’s done well. I think it’s been good for – she’s had a good time.’

Meanwhile, Naseem’s son Aadam is carving out a name for himself as a boxer and recently uploaded flashy footage of himself working the speed bag in the gym – proving he’s inherited his dad’s style.

He won his first fight in August on the undercard of the heavyweight world title bout in Poland between Oleksandr Usyk and Daniel Dubois.

His 17-year-old Czech opponent Vojtech Hrdy lasted two minutes and nine seconds of a one-sided first round at Wroclaw’s open-air Tarczynski Arena before a towel was thrown into the ring.

Speaking about the match, Aadam clarified: ‘That was my first fight ever, not just my pro debut.

‘It was a blessing to be here in front of everyone… I felt like I put on a performance and it’s only going to get bigger and better from here.’

It was a match that no doubt made his father Prince Naseem proud. 

Famous children: Michael’s daughter Gemma Owen hit the spotlight last year when she appeared on Love Island and reached the final with Luca Bish 

Finding fame:  Naseem’s son Aadam is carving out a name for himself as a boxer and won his first fight in August on the undercard of the heavyweight world title bout in Poland 

Topic three: Awkward phone calls with the missus after THOSE scandals 

Michael found himself in the limelight for all the wrong reasons in 2021 when texts were revealed from a conversation with former Big Brother star turned politician Rebecca Jane.

The married man allegedly sent hundreds of texts to Rebecca – now the deputy leader of UKIP – with the chat eventually becoming sexual as he asked her to send him 20 topless photos, telling her he would ‘judge them’ and requesting that she ‘leave nothing to the imagination’.

It came as a shock considering Michael’s previously noble reputation as a loving father and husband, with the former footballer allegedly asking to meet up with her at a horse race.

In his autobiography Reboot – My Life, My Time, he revealed he and Louise had gone through difficulties and were on the brink of divorce in 2014, with the pair attending marriage counselling.

He said the couple had worked on their differences and said he had become ‘a completely different person’.

‘Now that my life-changing liaison with the idea of splitting up with Louise and the family in 2014 has passed, I’m pretty sure everyone who knows me will say that I’m now a completely different person – in the best possible way.’

Meanwhile, Naseem was forced apart from his wife Eleasha when he was jailed for 15 months for dangerous driving. 

Eleasha, who converted to Islam in 1998 to marry Hamed, was pregnant with the couple’s third child at the time of his court case and had to be led out of the room by friends and family when she broke down at the verdict. 

She was left sobbing when  the former world champion was sentenced for dangerous driving in a ‘suicidal manoeuvre’ in his £320,000 sports car which left motorist Anthony Burgin fighting for his life with fractures to every bone in his body. 

Naseem ultimately served just 16 weeks of his 15-month sentence.  

Oh dear: Michael found himself in the limelight for all the wrong reasons in 2021 when texts were revealed from a conversation with Big Brother star turned politician Rebecca Jane 

Pulled it back: In his autobiography Reboot – My Life, My Time, Michael revealed he and his wife Louise had gone through difficulties and were on the brink of divorce in 2014

Scandal: Naseem was forced apart from his wife Eleasha when he was jailed for 15 months for dangerous driving in 2006 (pictured together outside court)

Topic four: Money, money, money

The athletes both made it on the list of Britain’s richest young sportsmen in their heyday, making the ranks of the Sunday Times Rich List 2001. 

Naseem topped the list with £30 million while Michael came in eighth place with £8 million. 

The boxer amassed £40 million in prize money from his fights and was said to have a property portfolio worth up to £70 million, as estimated in 2020. 

The pair’s fortunes have changed in recent years, however, and after retiring from the spotlight, Naseem now boasts a £28 million net worth, making him the 16th richest boxer globally.

Meanwhile, Michael – who works regularly as a pundit and also made a name for himself with a number of commercial deals – has an estimated net worth of £54 million. 

Topic five: What could have been… 

While Michael and Naseem were at the top of their games in their respective fields they both showed an interest in switching to each other’s sports. 

Michael previously shared his passion for boxing and made it into the ring a few times. 

The diminutive player would rank as a junior-middleweight and told Soccer AM: ‘I would definitely have taken an interest in another sport [if I wasn’t a footballer].

‘I boxed for three or four years and had about two bouts and that was quite enjoyable. I was quite good at snooker – maybe snooker.

‘Although now when I look back I think I’m small enough to have been a jockey.’

In contrast, Naseem found himself fascinated by football and was said to be eyeing up his local club Sheffield Wednesday.

READ MORE: Who is Aadam Hamed? Meet Love Island star Gemma Owen’s new boxer boyfriend 

He let it be known he was willing to invest in the team and becoming their major shareholder – a move that would require at least £4.5 million. 

The club’s spokesman Steve Chu said at the time: ‘We know Prince is a Wednesday supporter and he has the money. But it’s one thing buying out Charterhouse; we need someone who can invest money beyond that.’ 

Naseem’s brother and business manager Riath said: ‘Wednesday are an institution in the city and it would be a shame for it to go to waste.’ 

Yet ultimately the brothers decided against investing in the club. 

And some lighthearted chat over coffee…  

Talk will inevitably turn to their children’s budding romance.  

The pair were first spotted together last month on a dinner date in Birmingham, with a source telling The Daily Star: ‘They recently followed each other on Instagram and fans of both have noticed that it is them together.

‘Gemma was just with polo player Tommy Severn in Spain at the start of last month. Now she has moved on to Prince Naseem’s son.’

While she was linked to Tommy she shut down dating rumours in an Instagram Q&A in August, insisting: ‘Yes I’m single! So many questions on this. I do not have a boyfriend.’ 

Yet she has now moved on with Aadam after the duo enjoyed a holiday to Dubai together. 

Although the couple have yet to share a photo of themselves together, they have uploaded snaps to their Instagram Stories from the same location.  

A source told The Sun: ‘They’ve been getting close for a while but this Dubai trip is them making it properly official.’

They added: ‘He’s not had many serious girlfriends but he’s really serious about her. They’re smitten with one another.

‘They mix in the same circles, and she’s successful in her own right which appeals to him. They’re a lovely couple.’

Gemma and her ex Luca Bish split last year after they missed out on being crowned winners of their series of Love Island.

Aadam has not been romantically linked to anyone previously. 

New couple: Gemma and Aadam confirmed their romance this week with a romantic getaway in Dubai, documenting their trip in a slew of Instagram posts

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